Osceola Turkey

[Johnnylongbow]

Can anyone shine some light on DIY hunt
for Osceola birds...?
What public land  (WMA's)are my best shot.?
I'm open to go most anywhere to make it happen.

             thanks John

[Hoyt]

I killed a whole bunch of Osceola's in Greenswamp East and Richloam WMA's in Southwest Central, Fl.

They are both open to anyone after the first weekend quota in Greenswamp and use to be the first 9 days were quota in Richloam. Both are loaded with turkey.

This link will give you all the up to date info.
  http://myfwc.com/recreation/hunt_index.aspx

If you go to either let me know and I will direct you to my old hot spots. I use to camp the whole season at Greenswamp when I lived in Orlando.

[Johnnylongbow]

thanks hoyt
going down around the start of spring turkey.
are those areas swampy?
john

[Hoyt]

John, both have a lot of swamp and cypress heads...according to how much rain they have had as too how wet or dry and how bad the mosquitoes are.

Both areas also have a lot of higher ground with pines, palmetto and hard woods.

[Johnnylongbow]

when you hunted,was there much pressure after
the first rush of turkey hunters?
are there hogs in the area?
which of the two would be your first pick.
thanks very much for your help.
john

[bigbadjon]

The oseaola turkey is easily the most coveted game animal in Florida and I think we have more turkey hunters here than anything. In Greenswamp the pressure will be on but I don't think pressured turkeys are as hard to hunt as pressured deer. Also the further you venture the fewer hunters you will encounter, I have not been to Greenswamp in years but it was crowded. Also if you were picking an animal I think you should go for the turkey. You can hunt pigs all over, you can only hunt an osceola turkey here.

[bowmofo]

Do they better than the Eastern?

[Earl Jeff]

Good luck JLB I was down last March to finish up my slam. It is really nice to get your Turkey season started in March. Good Luck and God Bless.

[Hoyt]

Originally posted by Johnnylongbow:
when you hunted,was there much pressure after
the first rush of turkey hunters?
are there hogs in the area?
which of the two would be your first pick.
thanks very much for your help.
john

Both areas are hunted hard and the birds are pressured, but it's that way in all the WMA's in Fl. unless you put in and get a quota hunt area and it's too late to apply for those.

Hunt during the wk especially middle of wk and get a long way off the roads. I used a bike and hunted off No Vehicle areas. In Greenswamp you can get 5 miles from the parking area on Strand Hammock Rd. using a bike.

Both areas are loaded with hogs, but can't be hunting during the spring.

[duckclay]

Those areas are great for turkeys. I would also consider Bull Creek and Three Lakes in Osceola County. Hoyt's advice is good for those as well. Hunt the weekdays and be willing to walk and hunt as long as possible. Not too sure but I think you still have to stop hunting by 1pm on public land. Not too sure, but you may be able to go back in and scout after that time. Good luck.

[Johnnylongbow]

Thanks everyone...
much better having a place to start looking.
than going in blind..

Hoyt
  thanks for the heads up.
the bike is a great idea,I'm a former pro cyclist.
so no big deal... gotta figure out how to get my gear on it.
doing some homework for my time in fla.
I will be in touch with you as the time nears.
thanks again     john